A FREE online business referral community covering York and Harrogate has just been launched.

'eb4b.co.uk', which stands for 'e-business for business', allows firms across the region to draw on a pool of expertise from the fields of accountancy, financial services, law, IT, public relations and marketing.

The website, created by York-based marketing specialists In-House Marketing, also features a "recommended supplier" database. Recommended companies provide the community with preferential deals and discounts and benefit from referral in return.

Among other features, eb4b also hosts a monthly Business Club, with a topical issue discussed by a prominent member of the local business community. This month's "e-speaker" is Graham Hall, chairman of Yorkshire Forward.

There is a free workshop on succession planning at York accountants' Horwath Pulleyn Heselton's Bootham offices on November 7, at 6pm, which will be echoed on the website. Speaker will be Robert Woolley, the practice's partner.

eb4b co-founder Mark Perry said: "The beauty of an online referral community is that it gives companies quick and easy access to relevant information and saves them both time and money. It can also break down the reluctance to go to a professional adviser in the first instance.

"The response to eb4b has been very positive. Many businesses can see the benefit, both in cost and time, of having a community of like-minded people wanting to share information and create a platform for generating business through referral."

Updated: 10:00 Tuesday, October 29, 2002